You should go and love yourself

Self love. Something so many of us are lacking, and we often don't even know it. I cannot tell you how important it is to do this one thing that on the surface seems so simple. Most of us are brought up in a world that tells us to always put other peoples' needs before our own, and not doing so is supposedly 'selfish' and 'uncaring'. I for one often have a huge amount of guilt associated with putting myself first, but you see, you can't help others until you help yourself first. And it's true. Think about it. Have you ever been on a plane and seen the demo where you are told to put your own oxygen mask on before assisting others? If you're starved of oxygen, you're not going to get very far in helping another without further suffering yourself, and most likely you'll both go down. Do you see what I'm saying? It's about filling your own cup first. Imagine for a moment you have an empty cup, and you begin to fill that cup with water. Keep on filling that cup until it's so full that it is about to spill over. Once your cup is over flowing, that's when it becomes to easy and fulfilling to help others, because you just have so much to give! It's a nice analogy to live by, so keep that cup full.

"Fill your own cup, you can't pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first." So how can one do this? Well, self care and taking time out to do things that are just for yourself are key. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Take time out of your day to do something you enjoy, whether that be reading a book, watching a film, listening to your favourite music, or having a dance.

Pamper yourself. Make yourself a bubble bath, get a haircut, put on a facemask.

Cook yourself a nourishing meal, then sit down and take the time to enjoy it without distractions.

Make yourself a hot drink. There is something very soothing about doing this.

Allow yourself to get a good nights sleep.

Learn to say no to things you don't want to do.

Look at yourself in the mirror, and say to yourself 'I love you'. This may sound completely sily, but you'll be amazed at the difference it can have over time.

It's not easy at first, but once you start to incorporate a little self love into your daily routine, over time you will begin to feel healthier, happier, and ready to face the world.

As part of my own journey towards self-love, I wanted to create something that would help aid others too, and spread a positive message to the world. So, I thought what better way to do that than with biscuits. My self-love biscuits each have on them a positive statement that are intended to give you that little mental boost and remind you how amazing you are! There are four to choose from, and I am looking at creating more varieties with the option of customizing with your very own message.

Do you make sure you speak about yourself in a positive way? What are your favourite self-love statements?